CLERGYMEN are planning to call young thugs' bluff by inviting them into the church they vandalised.

Officials at Bamber Bridge Methodist Church in Preston hope the ploy will bring a year-long wrecking spree - which has caused almost £5,000 worth of damage - to an end.

Police have already made a high-profile attempt to stop the youths hanging around the church at night.

But the vandalism has continued and church workers say enough is enough.

Over the past 12 months the casualty toll has included, a £300 stain glass window, a section of the perimeter wall and a cast iron fence, which was broken just last week.

The vandals have also caused chaos at nearby Bamber Bridge Methodist School, where they have destroyed a community garden in the grounds and pulled up stone flags and shrubs.

Mike Bertram, church property warden, said: "We are at the end of our tether. We don't want to have to live at the church to keep an eye on it, or use heavy-handed tactics.

"The only solution we can see is opening the church doors and inviting the gang in. Maybe then they will see things differently."

He added: "We just don't understand what drives these youngsters to wreck their own village. Lots of people have put time, effort and money into looking after these places. But it's beginning to feel like a pointless exercise."

Mike is now appealing to Bamber Bridge residents to be the eyes and ears of the local police, and report any further incidents as soon as possible.

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